Baby boomers deluded about quality of life in old age

"Boomers reinvent the wheel" (Herald, March 6-7) should have been titled "Shangri-la for boomers".

It is quite unrealistic for healthy boomers to expect that in old age they will be able not only to look after themselves, but to support their friends living nearby. Busloads of frail, elderly folk from retirement villages trying to shop at suburban centres with the aid of walking frames and sticks attest to the impracticality of this idea.

P. O'Shea, Cherrybrook, March 7.

May I suggest that the advice to baby boomers on how to plan their retirement years, reported by Adele Horin, is possibly not the best advice.

To stay young at heart, and in body, if you are lucky, it is necessary to stay active. Do your own cooking, cleaning, and gardening, with help if necessary, and keep up whatever exercise you enjoy. Give lunch, instead of dinner parties, to avoid night driving, and just don't think of getting old.

I write as a 75-year-old who has never contemplated giving up my home and freedom and, with my husband, am about to have a month in Africa, camping.

Joan Cran, Hallidays Point, March 6.

I refer to your story "Never say die" (Herald, March 6-7) and would like to add some Australian statistics: the number of Australians aged over 65 will double in the next 20 years, and by 2050 more than one third of the Australian population is predicted to be over 65.

More than one third. If this is the case, I propose that John Howard introduce an extra tax on all luxury edibles like cake as soon as possible. After all, you want these older Australians to be healthy enough to remain in the workforce and paying tax, don't you?

Otherwise how else will we be able to pay the parliamentarians' super and the like?

Sue Vanni, Turramurra, March 6.

When my mother was forced to enter a nursing home I saw at first hand the effect of institutional "care" on a once fiercely independent woman. She lost everything at once - her home, her dog, her neighbours. As well, she was forced to move to four different abodes in the space of six years where the care was sometimes less than optimal.

As a result, when I built our current home, it included a separate guest cottage that could be used if necessary for a future live-in carer. Now we have bought a small cottage on acreage near Noosa and plan to build an extension that will be our home. We anticipated that this second cottage could also accommodate any future carer.

But it appears that Maroochy Shire Council will insist that the kitchen and laundry be torn out once the main house is built. I presume this is to prevent us renting the cottage.

Why aren't councils far-sighted enough to recognise that we are attempting to ensure our future needs?

Jennifer Kruger, Benowa Waters (Qld), March 6.

Adele Horin follows an all too familiar line when she states that "women who don't have children can worry about who will care for them in their old age". Given that men tend to have less well-developed social support networks than women, what about men without children, Adele?

Kim Ibbott, Valla Beach, March 6.

Adele Horin is spot on. However, some 25,000 Australians not only want to but are already "growing old disgracefully". This is the motto of the Ulysses club, a club for older motorcyclists, the two wheeled grey nomads (40- to 50-year-olds are "junior" members).

Five thousand of us will be in Geelong on March 17 to 18 for our AGM and some hanky panky with "old friends". We are in control.

Matthew Wilson, Mona Vale, March 6.

Power givers put pens before the swords

Does the savaging of John Howard by senior figures in the media seem reminiscent of the treatment of Paul Keating in the dying days of his Labor government? As was the case with Keating, the polls are following suit. I'm starting to wonder just who appoints the government, the electorate or the commentariat?

Given that Howard's unquestioned dominance and sudden decline, Crean's demise and Latham's "honeymoon" are products of opinion pages, we should cut out the middle men and put Alan Ramsey and the press gallery in charge of the nation. After all, it appears no one can be elected without their endorsement.

J.F. Quinn, Carlton North (Vic), March 6.

Changing the rules

Tony Blair calls for changes to the way the United Nations works. His call is a little too late. He, with George Bush and John Howard, have, by their pre-emptive strike on Iraq, made permanent changes that render the UN almost useless. His call should be for abolishing the UN. There should be no restraint on any kinds of weapons; nuclear, chemical and biological weapons should be considered acceptable methods of attack and defence.

Regime change must be considered as suitable cause for war. Diplomatic immunity and international treaties should be revokable without notice. Civilians and national treasures along with hospitals should be legitimate targets. Torture should be acceptable to all countries, as should detention without trial.

Adam Lyons, Springwood, March 7.

Pay-offs for students

Why take a gap year ("Money counts at the school of life", Herald, March 6-7) to be financially independent? All that's needed is a nominal position on a payroll (usually mum and dad's) for 18 months. This rort meets Centrelink's eligibility requirements.

Col Shephard, Yamba, March 6.

Students who take a gap year often take the jobs of young people who do not aspire to university education. With youth unemployment at an unacceptable level, it would be more sensible for students who take a gap year purely to achieve independent status to be supported by Austudy so they can move straight into a university course.

Brian Jeffrey, Gunnedah, March 6.

Quite a bit to know

Competent medical practice requires a sound understanding of anatomy, physiology, pathology, pharmacology and psychology. Critical evaluation of information is impossible without that understanding. It is useless to be a good communicator unless one knows what to communicate. No wonder Professor Walton refers to hospital residents as undertrained ("Hospitals need a remedy for neglect", Herald, March 4).

David Freeman, St Ives, March 7.

All together now ...

Don Watson's grief at the abuse of language reminds me of John Steinbeck writing more than 40 years ago in Travels With Charlie: "Just as our bread, mixed and baked, packaged and sold without benefit of accident or human frailty, is uniformly good and uniformly tasteless, so will our speech become one speech. I who love words and the endless possibility of words am saddened by this inevitability ... The idioms, the figures of speech that make language rich and full of the poetry of place and time must go. And in their place will be a national speech, wrapped and packaged, standard and tasteless." The only thing he failed to predict is that, under the onslaught of globalisation, it would go beyond a national speech to become an international speech.

Michael Kneipp, Wellington, March 5.

Pictures that suit

There are flag-draped coffins you can exploit and there are flag-draped coffins you prefer to keep hidden ("Campaign turns ugly over September 11 ads," Herald, March 6-7). The Bush Administration's eagerness to use the image of firefighters emerging from the rubble of the World Trade Centre carrying a flag-draped coffin for the Republican re-election campaign contrasts with the US media blackout of the arrival on US soil of flag-draped coffins of service men and women from Iraq. No amount of campaign funds in the coffers can hide the hypocrisy of an administration digging its own grave.

Max Fischer, Scarborough, March 6.

How they see sex

Three children at high school, two boys and a girl, makes one sensitive to the issues surrounding teenage sexuality. The big change since I went to school? Perhaps little change in the numbers engaging in sexual intercourse. Oral sex, however, is quite a different story. High schools are abuzz with information on who "has" and who "hasn't". Interestingly, most teenagers I have spoken with do not consider oral sex to be sex.

Respect is an issue central to the Bulldogs debate. I wonder how these changes in behaviour affect the way young girls are perceived by male suitors.

Ted Keating, Tallai (Qld), March 6.

Research defies guesses

The hysteria apparently emanating from green groups and some in the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service concerning Snowy Hydro's proposed precipitation enhancement trial is hard to understand. As one with 36 years of cloud seeding experience in Australia I am appalled by the use of emotive terms such as "dubious", "hazard to park users" and "destructive" ("Snow-making trial has science, and now the law, against it", Herald, March 6-7).

Cloud seeding has been practised in Tasmania since 1964 over World Heritage Areas having alpine characteristics similar to those of the Kosciuszko National Park.

Results from three scientific experiments spanning 13 years have shown statistically significant benefits by way of extra fresh water running into rivers and lakes and no discernible negative effects.

After 50 years of environmental research, measuring the effects of cloud seeding worldwide and costing untold millions of dollars, reports of actual (as opposed to imagined) detrimental results of cloud seeding are almost non-existent.

The people of NSW have little to fear from cloud seeding trials and much to gain.

Change the checkouts, so there's no need for bags

Do any of those who pontificate on the need to ban plastic bags in shops ("Carr may push for plastic bag ban", Herald, March 6-7) actually do the shopping?

If they did, they would know that contemporary checkout design dictates that using bags is the only way to get one's purchases out of the store. Re-designing checkouts so an empty trolley can be placed within the operator's reach would allow the operator to pack scanned goods directly into this trolley - without the need for bags.

M.B. Haynes, Willoughby, March 6.

Without plastic bags, how will dog people cope? A brown paper bag could get even browner in your pocket, and even a bit icky.

Barrie Smillie, Duffy (ACT), March 6.

The publicity behind plastic bag-free zones in places such as Coles Bay (Tasmania) and Huskisson really just represents a veneer of environmental action. There is no major supermarket in either of those towns.

It is also certainly the case in Huskisson that plastic bag use continues unabated in some shops unwilling to change their practice. It is unfortunate that Planet Ark continues to talk up the success of these empty "bans".

Bob Carr's announcement regarding a possible statewide ban on plastic shopping bags is an encouraging sign that the Government is becoming serious about the problem of plastics in the environment. While he is at, how about dealing with some of the other intractable packaging problems?

How about ensuring the use of packaging materials that are recyclable or biodegradable? How about mandating that every package has a recycling code visible, instead of relying on the less-than-effective voluntary practice?

How about addressing unnecessary use of composite packaging such that the material is rendered non-recyclable?

Plastic packaging is sometimes necessary or advantageous. However, if the plastics and retail industries are unable to voluntarily deal with the downstream effects of packaging material, our Government needs to take appropriate action to protect the interests of our community and environment.

Mark Corrigan, Vincentia, March 6.

Easy to see that Bob Carr does not do the grocery shopping or put out the rubbish in his household.

John Hourigan, Concord, March 6.

When I was living in Germany 20 years ago, I was reprimanded by an irate shop assistant for helping myself to the plastic bags for my groceries. There was a charge of about 10 cents for each plastic bag.

Visiting Korea last week, I bought a shirt and on being handed the item without a bag, was informed it would cost the equivalent of $2 for a carry bag. Why are we so reluctant and slow to introduce similar measures?

Elizabeth Maher, Bangor, March 6.

A national service that does us proud

Ms Sue Howard has no regard for Radio National. Isn't it amazing how these administrators who are always blathering about "world class" this and "world's best practice" and so on can't recognise a world class institution when they see it.

For the record I have lived in Britain, France and Australia and Radio National is one of the finest radio stations in the world, if not the finest. It is much superior to the BBC's Radio 4 and to the Canadian and French equivalents.

Friends who have visited Australia all remark on how vibrant, informative and comprehensive Radio National's programming is and compare it favourably with equivalent overseas entities. Please let us all work to stop these philistines and preserve a great Australian institution.

Dr David Studdert, Paris (France), March 6.

No letter, no rejection

As a proud fellow member of the 200-plus club, I wonder if time isn't catching up with us all. Immobile, speechless and connected to more ICU one liners than even Ted Matulevicius ever produced, my only consolation lies in the fact that if I can't write, I can't be rejected.

Norm Christenson, Thornleigh, March 4,

Dam the water

Please don't tell me: there was little or no run-off into the dams.

Michael Forsyth, East Lindfield, March 7.

Blast from the past

Remembrance of things past ... Does anyone recall that sceptical bird the oofle-oofle? It used to be a common sight on university campuses post-WWII. Unfortunately, it may be extinct: it had the alarming habit of flying around in ever-decreasing circles until it finally flew up its fundament and disappeared.

Neville Permezel, Mangerton, March 6.

Supporting Clover

Go, Clover. May you become the Pirate of Pissants.

John Hatton, Huskisson, March 5.

Questionable question

Re "So many questions" (Letters, March 5, 6-7) prompts the story of the non-Jewish woman asking the Jewish woman: "So why do Jews always seem to answer a question with a question?" The reply: "So why shouldn't Jews answer a question with a question?"

Joe Dwyer, Rose Bay, March 6.

Train load of warning

A fistful of dollars to train crews has seen trains and Mr Costa vanish from the front page. Are the teachers and nurses watching?

John Mcnab, St Ives, March 7.

A short career?

Malcolm Turnbull must be planning a short career in parliament if a reported weekend promise by him never to tell a lie in politics is true.

Norm Neill, Leichhardt, March 7.

Unfair cleaning-up

I don't think it is fair or sensible to ask a few willing souls to pick up after ignorant and/or lazy people who litter 365 days a year.

M.G. Bush, Five Dock, March 6.

Sex intelligence

Next they will be telling us that Mata Hari didn't sex up intelligence.

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